Take action against Kangana Ranaut over poll code violation, Himachal election department tells Mandi DC

The state election department has issued notices to both Mandi and Kullu deputy commissioners following multiple complaints by the Congress against Bharatiya Janata Party’s Mandi candidate Kangana Ranaut, wherein the party charged her of passing personal remarks against her opponent Vikramaditya Singh.

An inquiry report in this regard has also been sent to the Election Commission of India, the statement said.

The Congress also filed a fresh complaint against Ranaut for making derogatory comments tarnishing Vikramaditya’s image and assassinating his character calling him “gunda, chor, bigda”.

“...such personal and unwarranted comments cannot be used in a public platform,” the complaint read.

Mandi deputy commissioner, meanwhile, has also been directed to take action against Ranaut for her earlier public announcement on meeting the medical expenses of the girl who suffered multiple injuries after a youth attacked her with a sharp weapon in Palampur.

The department forwarded the poll code violation complaints received against Ranaut, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, and Union minister Anurag Thakur to the Election Commission of India.

Directions were also issued to the department of social justice and empowerment not to select new beneficiaries for the Congress-led state government’s “Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh-Samman Nidhi Yojna” during the code of conduct.

Former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur had filed a complaint on the selection of new beneficiaries, in response to which, all the hoardings installed by the public relations department were taken down.

Jai Ram, Anurag’s get notices

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also filed a complaint against BJP’s Hamirpur Lok Sabha candidate Anurag Thakur for poll code violation at one of his election events. The report along with the transcript of the speech has been sent to ECI for necessary action.

Assembly speaker Jagat Singh Negi, meanwhile, complained against Jai Ram Thakur for holding a press conference in the campus of Vidhan Sabha and a notice was served to the former CM.

FIR registered for ‘obstructing’ Kangana’s rally

An FIR, meanwhile, has been registered under sections 341 (wrongful restraint) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Kaza in Lahaul and Spiti on the complaint filed by the BJP over the alleged obstruction of Ranaut’s rally.

The election commission also ordered the registration of an FIR on a complaint received from the Congress legal cell against the Facebook page “Shri Jai Ram Thakur 4 CM Himachal” for making derogatory remarks against Congress workers and outraging the modesty of women.

Himachal director general of police (DGP) has been requested to lodge an FIR and take appropriate action at the earliest.

Chief electoral officer Maneesh Garg said he had received a total of 1,406 complaints after the model code of conduct came into force. “Of the total complaints, 1,235 have been decided. As many as 778 complaints were received through the state and district contact centres (toll-free number 1950) and 691 were resolved.”

The election office in Shimla had received 349 complaints, of which 266 were resolved and 279 complaints received through the C-vigil App.

“All the complaints were decided within the time frame after getting the inquiries conducted and necessary action was taken where violations were found in 88% of the complaints,” Garg said.

The officer forwarded a complaint filed against Sukhu over an objectionable post against Ranaut on the social media handle “Hamirpur Congress Youth Club” with a detailed inquiry report.